1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of ratchet strap apparatus typically used in tying down cargo and other things and for tensioning purposes. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved ratchet strap apparatus including an easily attachable cargo strap.
2. Background
Ratchet strap apparatus are today commonly used, for example, in tying down cargo and loads on vehicles, trailers, etc., and for tensioning purposes as needed or desired. Ratchet strap apparatus are, for example, shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,464,915; 6,654,987; 6,547,218; 6,195,848; and 4,199,182. These apparatus essentially include a mechanism having a wind up drum rotatably mounted between two walls, and a handle engaging and rotatably driving the drum. A flat tensioning strap is selectively wound onto the drum and unwound therefrom. Another flat strap referred to herein as a cargo strap is also secured to the apparatus. The terminal ends of the straps include hooks whereby the strap ends can be hooked onto each other, the cargo/load or parts of the vehicle, trailer, etc. By winding the tension strap onto the drum, the straps are placed in tension and the cargo/load is thereby secured or tension is placed as needed or desired on the components whereat the hooks are affixed.
In most ratchet strap apparatus, the cargo strap is relatively short and is permanently affixed to the ratchet mechanism. The tensioning strap is relatively longer and must be inserted through a slot in the drum, pulled taught and then, by rotatably driving the drum, caused to become wound around the drum and thereby also become frictionally engaged and tensioned. As can be appreciated, it can be difficult to simultaneously hook the cargo strap at a desired location, hook the tensioning strap at another desired location, insert the tensioning strap through the drum slot while maintaining or drawing it taught and then grasping and moving the handle for rotatably driving the drum and tensioning the tension strap.
The ratchet strap apparatus of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,654,987 and 4,199,182 make the use thereof easier by essentially providing a mechanism that includes an inboard pin and an outboard pin on the ratchet strap apparatus for more easily attaching the cargo strap. The cargo strap is selectively attachable to the mechanism by bending it into a loop with a slack end on one side thereof and a cargo engagement end on the other, locating the outboard pin through the loop and both the slack end and cargo engagement end around the inboard pin. The slack end is sandwiched between the inboard pin and the cargo engagement end whereby tension on the cargo engagement end frictionally secures the slack end between the cargo engagement end and the inboard pin. The tensioning strap may then be wound around the drum using the ratchet handle for tensioning.
However, there remain shortcomings and drawbacks in such ratchet strap apparatus and in the securement of the cargo strap to the mechanism with the inboard and outboard pins, and a need exists for an improved ratchet strap apparatus wherein the cargo strap is relatively more easily selectively attachable to the apparatus using inboard and outboard pins.